Mark 15.5 rebreather

I still believe that the Mark 15 is the finest, most engineered, most
tested rebreather in the world, bar none. Mostly due to the
conversations on this list as to why the Mark 15 Series rigs are the
best rigs for everyone to use, and how by simply buying one, you begin
to look like a Greek God with chiselled features that make women swoon
at the sight of you and your manly rebreather, and also the
conversations about how extended use of Cis Lunars, or Inspirations can
cause gonad atrophy, loss of chest hair, sagging buttocks, and a
general repulsion of most members of the opposite sex. So I decided in
the general interest of those who wish to regain their youthful vigour
by investigating thoroughly these magic machines which bestow such
virility on their owners, to publish a list of comparisons of these
magnificent units. All those who read and memorize these pages will find
a new robustness in their demeanour which will bring a twinkle of
anticipatory elation to the eyes of all women they meet, and a knowing
smile from other valorous men who too have heard the Word, and seen
the Way. And those who actually own and dive a Mark 15 Series
Rebreather already know the satisfaction of Crushing their Enemies,
Seeing them Driven Before You, and Hearing the Lamentations of their
Women... Kevin Juergensen

Vale Agnes Milowka

Ag in Jenolan Caves NSW. (K Smith)

Agnes Milowka was a close friend of the Wetmules. She died in a diving
accident in Tank Cave, South Australia on February 27th 2011 aged 29 years. At
the time she died, she was doing what she loved and did best...laying line in
virgin passage and pushing her own limits in a quest to satisfy the burning
curiosity to see what was around the next corner. For many people this will be
hard to understand. But for true explorers, the feeling of being the first, to
be able to lay claim to a small piece of the earth that has never had human
eyes upon it is as addictive as any drug. And in this realm, Ag was one of the
best.

Ag's exploits in cave exploration
are remarkable, especially considering the short time she had put her energies
into the field. In just a few short years of exploring, she uncovered more new
passage and extraordinary natural wonders than most of us will find in a lifetime
in the sport. She began as an accomplished wreck diver, pursuing her interest
in maritime archeology before getting bitten by the cave bug.

Ag a spent a year working with Dive
Rite in Florida and this is when her cave diving skills really developed. Her
daily routine saw her driving to Dive Rite in Lake City, then to Ginnie Springs
and finally home to her apartment in Alachua. She dived to the very furthest
reaches of Ginnie Springs and quickly caught up with the most serious cave
explorers. One of her great achievements was passing a very challenging
restriction in Baptizing Spring and laying thousands of feet of new line. On a
later trip to the USA in August 2010, with her buddy James Toland, she made
history by connecting Baptizing Spring to the Peacock Spring system.

She made friends with many of the
famous Florida cave divers. Wes Skiles is said to have seen something of his
younger self in Agnes and they collaborated on several projects including
filming of the Natural Geographic special on the caves of the Bahamas. Wes
helped Agnes get started in her dream to make a career from cave diving,
documentary making and exploration. The proposed “Agnes Milowka Project” would
have seen Agnes filmed as she visited underwater cave around the world. It is a
great tragedy that we will never see this.

Back in Australia at Mt Gambier she
made some great discoveries in Tank Cave. At Buchan, in her home state of
Victoria, Ag and buddy Jim Arundale explored and revealed over a kilometre of
streamway passage in the Elk Cave system, passing 6 horribly tight sumps in the
process. Ag visited Cocklebiddy Cave on the Nullarbor and swam almost to the
end with ease, surpassing the efforts of most who had gone before. In the cold
water of Tiger’s Eye in Tasmania she immediately found the deep going passage
where others had failed. She even made her name in Hollywood as a stunt double
on the feature film Sanctum.

In a few short years Ag had made her
name as a professional diver, conservationist and explorer. We can only wonder
what she would have achieved if she had not been taken from us so soon and so
tragically.

Agnes, we will always miss you.

Agnes on the set of Sanctum, complete with hair

extensions and big Ag smile. (R Harris)

Descent

Oh, I have shrugged off the noise and calamity of modern day

and floated through the depths on bubble-glistening fins.

Downward I have drifted and joined the ebb and flow of wind-driven currents,

and done a thousand things you would never have dreamed of.

Dipping and swooping deep in the limpid pools of silent seas,

Floating…. Drifting….

I've chased shimmering schools of fish,

laughed through coral-carpeted canyons,

and eased my rubber-covered body through the floorless oceans of blue.

Deeper and deeper into the bone-chilling depths

I've descended to the sand covered bottom of the universe,

with peaceful reserve, where sunshine nor rain have ever danced.

And…. While with silent questioning mind,

I've slipped through the blue un-trespassed serenity of the heavenly sea,

Raised up my face

and felt the cool embrace of God

From the John Gillespie Magee poem "High Flight", re worded for divers.